Analysis of Multiple Representations Used in Chemistry Units of Science Electronic Textbooks in Junior High School

• Main Authors: Chun-Chen Cho, 卓群真
• Other Authors: Meng-Jung Tsai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2018
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/rc8qh8

碩士 === 國立臺灣科技大學 === 數位學習與教育研究所 === 106 === This study used content analysis method to explore the usage of the multiple representations in the junior high school chemistry e-textbooks and its relationship with the learning contents. We established a framework for analyzing the types, contents, interactions, and functions of multiple representations in chemistry e-textbooks and analyzed two science e-textbooks provided by two textbook publishers in Taiwan.The results show that, in average, there are 20.2 representations per page in the e-textbooks. The density of static representations is approximately quadruple of that of dynamic ones, while the dynamic representations are used in a higher proportion than the static image representations. The most utilized static representations are the tag-legend texts and the concrete-reappearing images, followed by the explanatory images and texts demonstrating the experiments. The dynamic representations mainly show the quiz solutions and demonstrate the principles, and most of them are operated by clicking. The videos or animations are mostly operated by time-controlling dashboard. The dynamic simulations which are the least used are interacted with object dragging, data inputting, scrolling bars or information options. The main functions of static images and dynamic representations are to complement the cognitive process for processing the text or to constrain the textual interpretation by the inherent properties. The use and the function of multiple representations are related to content properties. The abstract explanatory diagrams with the tags and legends are used mostly for the microscopic abstract conceptual learning, so that the ratio of the texts to the image representations is higher. The diagrams in the quiz and the dynamic representations for the quiz solutions are enormously provided. Numerous tables and the dynamic simulations are used to supplement information, to help abstract thinking and to establish the relationships among the representations.Furthermore, the depiction of the scientific concept is mainly based on textual narrative. The more abstract of the content, the more image representations are used. The frequency of the representations shown in the e-textbooks is higher than that shown in the teaching slides, therefore the structure of reading should be provided and only the relevant segment in the videos should be played when using e-textbooks. It is also suggested to avoid using the representations that would cause interference or duplication and to provide a representation of conceptual conflicts to stimulate motivation when designing e-textbooks. Future studies are suggested to revise the representation analysis framework proposed in this study and to analyze the high school chemistry e-textbooks or to use the results of representations analysis in this study to explore the effect on chemistry teaching or learning.